Tag: World Cup 2026 (Soccer)

Expelled from China

Media Library

China is one of the biggest stories in the world — and one of the most complex. That’s why The New York Times has always tried to have correspondents on the ground who can get under the surface and report out the nuances. But the Chinese authorities have long been wary of foreign journalists. They restrict their access, surveil their movements and sometimes expel them outright. My colleague Vivian Wang, our brilliant China correspondent, recently had her visa revoked. During her time in the country, she talked to a cross-section…

With No Team in the World Cup, China’s Fans Celebrate a Referee

Media Library

Most fans watching Curaçao’s 0-0 draw against Ecuador on Saturday night focused on the Curaçaoan goalkeeper, whose 15-save effort was compared to some of the greatest displays in World Cup history. But for some fans in China, the main draw of the match was the tournament debut of Ma Ning, 47, the World Cup’s highest-ranking Chinese referee. Because China did not qualify for the World Cup, Ma has become the country’s de facto representative at the tournament. His popularity has given him an unusually high-profile turn in a role that…

Kim Jong-un’s Triumph

Media Library

President Xi Jinping of China doesn’t make that many trips abroad. He also isn’t used to going to North Korea to see Kim Jong-un. Most of the time, Kim goes to Xi. So it says something that Xi arrived in Pyongyang on Monday and called for a stronger relationship between the two countries. Xi is visiting at a time when Kim, by most accounts, is feeling pretty smug. His decision to develop nuclear weapons seems to have paid off — just look at Iran. So has his choice to invest…